Mets Notes: Wilpon, Wright, Payroll

The 65-75 Mets are heading for a fourth consecutive losing season, but their long-term outlook could improve considerably with a successful offseason. GM Sandy Alderson figures to look for answers in the outfield and ways of keeping David Wright and R.A. Dickey in Queens beyond 2013. Here's the latest on the team from its newest beat writer, Newsday’s Marc Carig (linksgo toTwitter)…

Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon declined to speculate about contract talks with Wright or the team’s 2013 payroll. New York’s payroll is expected to stay in the $90MM range for 2013, but Wilpon said it’s too early to get into detail. "I think it would be premature to talk about it until we have a full conversation," he said.

Wright said there’s “nothing new” to report regarding extension talks, according to Carig. The third baseman’s current contract includes a $16MM option for 2013 with a $1MM buyout. He recently told Jon Heyman he’s “extremely optimistic” about signing a long-term deal with the Mets.

Comments

Don’t take this as apostasy, but if Wright is in line for a longer term deal for $20M per starting when he is 31, is that the best use of the Met’s dollars? Not to denigrate him as a player, but if it takes the Mets a few years to get back to respectability, won’t they be paying a great deal for performance that doesn’t have a big impact in the standings?

Take a look at Mets attendance, If fans have come to watch Wright, he’s done a bad job of putting “butts in the seats”. The selling of jerseys can’t sustain a franchise, so those aren’t reasons to re-sign him at huge money.

The fans dont have to come watch anyone. But they do like to watch their favorite players, wouldnt you agree?
So, if the Mets would like to keep him and lock him up, then it could be a decent signing (although I would not)
Im not saying sign him for huge money (20M is very high IMO, however, he is the franchise players. People do buy his jerseys, come to games to see him, etc. For all we know attendance could be worse than the Rays if not for Wright, Dickey and ummm, well Wright and Dickey

The Mets should pick up Wright’s option and trade him, this team has the worst team in the league as far as talent. They need to get something for Wright and build for the future. They look like a last place team next year, and I don’t see them catching the Nats or Philly in the near future.

this is exactly what i would do also theres no reason to keep him the team isnt gonna be any good for the next couple of years..honestly i would traded him this year of course mets front office honestly thought we had a good team..i know before the season started below 500 and last place just like next year with or without wright and dickey

While Wright is one of the few Mets fan favorites left, it is also clear that fans are starting to think more realistically about him. For all the hype about his being an “MVP” or being the player who could lead these guys to overachieve (vs, say, what Reyes could have done if he’d been re-signed) it is clear that the extent of his ability to inspire players to outdo themselves has its limits.

Personally, I like Wright a lot but I can’t say I have any desire to ever buy his jersey.

As far as I know Alderson’s vision is to have as many premier caliber players on the team as possible, period. Hence he wants to sign RA Dickey and Wright. The strategy isn’t immediately transparent IMO because he also believes that it’s best to develop those premier players internally rather than through free agency. Most likely the Mets will have to compromise, but I can think of worse ways to use the money than signing Wright.

I don’t understand why people are concerned with how much he’s making. Is he one of the best 3rd basemen in the league? Yes. Is he injury prone? No. Has he shown a decline? No. Then why is it a question on whether or not to re-sign him? If the Wilpons (and fans) are worried about the cost of the player then the Wilpons shouldn’t own the team. It’s very simple. You don’t win championships (at least not typically) without franchise players. There’s no upside whatsoever to trading Wright.

If the payrool is not going to change drastically, who could the mets trade to possibly go get CHOOOOO from CLE, that makes similiar money? He would be a huge upgrade to the OF, power and speed of this team.